DePaul Prep 70, Niles North 50 to Open the 25-26 Season

DePaul Prep has something to prove.

The three-peat thing is not a thing. Winning 2A and 3A twice doesn’t mean much when one is in 4A now. It sure seemed like business as usual as the DePaul Prep Rams came out against Niles North.

Well business as usual as it can be against a Glenn Olson coached Niles North squad. The Vikings came ready to fight as usual. All fired up and playing fast in the first half taking a lead into halftime. Niles North dropped in six three-point shots. A little unusual for the Rams to give that up.

“We were very upset about it. We made a change in our line up at half time. It wasn't the kid's fault that we took out. But we couldn't play with three bigs against that offense. They had one three in a second half,” said DePaul Prep head coach Tom Kleinschmidt.

The second half was a different story. All Rams. The Rams put up almost twice as many points in the second half as they did in the first half. Rashaun Porter and Ryan Woo lead the Rams with 26 and 20 points respectively.

It was a good look at this year’s Rams. We are going to see a larger rotation this year. We will see quite a bit of Blake Choice, Pat Lovell and others. Tom Kleinschmidt likes the four guard line-up but he has a bigger squad this season. We will still see plenty of four guard line-ups.

Toledo commit DePaul senior forward Rashaun Porter was matter-of-fact after the game.

“We just came together as a team [in the second half]. We realized that is simple to be a good defensive team if we just speak. Just saying“switch” can like go a long way to change the game. We did that as a team. We came together and we were able to pull out a wind against a very good team,” said Porter.

The No. 1 rank, the start of a four-peat season just didn’t seem to be a thing to this team. At least not in second half or after the game.

I think it’s because they were playing the why they play, which happens to be championship basketball.

Maybe it’s a little more. Maybe they still have something to prove. 3A is not 4A. It’s just strange to be writing about a team working on a fourth straight state championship at any level, let alone three different levels.

Something to prove is good thing.

Bailey Begins 32nd Season at St. Patrick

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY

Mike Bailey is a self-described gym rat at 71 years old who loves the game of basketball. He is addicted to watching basketball games and practices. Bailey also enjoys everything that takes place off the court, like recruiting and game planning and summer basketball. Most of all, he loves teaching the game to his players during practice sessions. And he has no intention of doing anything else.

“I am not retiring at the end of the season,” Bailey said, putting an end to rumors to the contrary. “I’m just getting started.”

“Mike Bailey has all the qualities that you are looking for in a head coach,” said former Weber and Elgin basketball coach Jim Harrington, who had Bailey on his staff at both schools. “He is hard working, loyal and dedicated. Whether Mike is young or old, he is always trying to get better as a head coach.”

Bailey, who began his hjgh school coaching career with Harrington at Weber in 1979, will begin his 32nd year as head coach at St. Patrick in the Shamrocks’ annual Thanksgiving tournament. He has won 583 games at the school on West Belmont and one of his goals is to surpass the record of 658 victories established by his predecessor, the legendary Max Kurland.

“I just keep going,” said Bailey, who recently underwent hip replacement surgery. “As long as I have energy, enthusiasm and health, I will keep coaching. I don’t think I would have retired if I had won a state championship last year. A lot of people ask me that question. Honestly, if we had won, I wanted to come back and coach this group of kids because I had promised them and their parents that I would be their coach. I think that I am a better and more prepared basketball coach now at this stage of my life.”

Last season, Bailey guided St. Patrick to 29 victories and third place in the Class 3A tournament. The Shamrocks lost to Brother Rice in the semifinals, then came back to rout Chatham Glenwood for third place.

“It was probably the most proud I have ever been of any team I have coached, to come back and win third place after losing 24 hours earlier,” he said.

Twelve players return from that 29-8 squad, including starter RJ McPartlin. The Shamrocks will begin their quest for a return trip to Champaign on Monday, November 24, against Chicago Public League power Dyett, the defending Class 2A champion.

“This team knows how to win basketball games,” Bailey said. “It expects to win. They are very motivated to get back Downstate.”

The road back to Champaign won’t be easy. It became more difficult when the Illinois High School Association placed St. Patrick in Class 4A with defending champion Benet and neighborhood rival DePaul Prep, last year’s Class 3A champion, which also has been moved up into Class 4A tournament. St. Patrick might have to beat both schools to reach the championship game.

Meanwhile, Bailey has been proud to follow in Kurland’s footsteps. Kurland built the Shamrocks into one of the state’s most successful programs at St. Patrick playing his signature 1-3-1 zone defense. St Pat's always fell short in conference play, finishing second to coach Gene Pingatore’s St. Joseph teams. The one thing that Kurland couldn’t do was advance to the state quarterfinals and gain ticket play to at Assembly Hall in Champaign. Kurland retired in 1994 after losing to Lyons Township in the York sectional championship.

“It was an honor to be chosen to replace Max Kurland at St. Patrick,” Bailey said. “Max was very nice to me when I came to St. Patrick. I didn’t replace him. I followed him.”

Bailey has a different philosophy playing strictly man-to-man defense.

“Max Kurland was one of the greatest guys in the coaching profession. He had a heart of gold,” Harrington said.

Bailey, a graduate of Gordon and DePaul University, joined Weber in 1979 as Harrington’s sophomore coach. He was head coach at St. Gregory in 1984-1986, then head coach at Dundee-Crown in 1986-1990. Then he went to Elgin to assist Harrington in 1990-94. In 1992, when Steve Pappas left Gordon to become head coach at Deerfield, Bailey applied for the job.  Rich Kolimas was hired to replace Pappas. When Kurland retired in 1994, he brought his expertise to St. Patrick.

After losing four times in the supersectional round before finishing third in the Class 3A tournament last season, marking the first time that the Shamrocks have qualified for the Final Four. The achievement isn’t lost on Bailey or his staff. Why retire when you still have goals to accomplish?

“It means the world to advance to the state finals for the first time in school history,” he said.

Basketball is a family affair in the Bailey household. Mike’s daughter Kelly is the official scorer for the Chicago Bulls while son Brandon is an assistant coach for DePaul’s men’s basketball team after spending time with the Boston Celtics in the NBA.

After the upcoming Thanksgiving tournament, St. Patrick will open its regular conference season in a televised matchup against Notre Dame of Niles. This is the last season of the ESCC in basketball. The Chicago Catholic League has merged with the East Suburban Catholic. Next season, St. Patrick will join Marist, Benet, DePaul Prep, St. Ignatius, Mount Carmel, Loyola, Brother Rice and Fenwick in a new and very competitive conference featuring three divisions.

Mike Bailey can’t wait to be a part of it.

Cary Grove Ends St. Patrick's Season in State Playoffs

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY

               

It all amounted to shattered dreams for the Shamrocks.

Cary Grove ended St. Patrick’s season on Saturday night in the second round of the Class 5A football playoff with a rousing 55-21 victory at Triton College. It wasn’t as close as they score indicates. Cary Grove built a 48-0 halftime lead and coasted.

“Cary Grove played well today,” St. Patrick coach Tom Zbikowski said, stating the obvious. “They were the better team with great coaching. They outcoached me. They have a great program. They have been doing well for a long time.”

St. Patrick, which finished 6-5, knew it was going to be a major challenge to face Cary Grove’s dynamic triple option offense. Led by sophomore quarterback Jackson Berndt, the Trojans didn’t attempt a pass and rushed for 475 yards and eight touchdowns while punting only once.

“We played really well as a team and all 11 guys did their job,” said Berndt, whose 9-2 team will meet Belvidere North (11-0) in the quarterfinals.

If this was a boxing match, it would have been called off in the first quarter. Cary Grove built an early 27-0 lead as Berndt scored on runs of 44 and 70 yards. He finished with five carries for 128 yards.

“They punched us in the mouth in the first quarter,” St. Patrick running back Anthony Catron said. “They are a great team. They are a great program.”

“I knew they would start fast and we would have to make adjustments,” Zbikowski said. “Unfortunately, they made more plays today.”

Leon Zavala, a freshman, made life more difficult for St. Patrick by scoring twice on runs of 66 yards in the second quarter. The Trojans, who have been averaging 37 points per game, also got a solid performance from senior running back Logan Abrams, who scored once and carried seven times for 71 yards.

Cary Grove has emerged as one of the state’s most successful high school football programs. The Trojans have won three state championships and qualified for the state final on six occasions.

So what about St. Patrick who was 2-7 in 2024?

Quarterback Gavin Gardiner had a difficult time as he was intercepted twice in the first quarter and once in the second quarter. He finished with 18 completions in 28 attempts for 132 yards and two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter. He completed his junior season with over 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns passing. Certainly, something to build on.

“He is going to learn from this experience,” Zbikowski said. “This is his first year playing on the varsity. You can’t beat experience. He knows now what it is like to play in the state playoff.”

Meanwhile, Catron, St. Patrick’s leading ball-carrier, was limited to only 43 yards on 23 carries by a Cary Grove defense that was led by Abrams, also a standout at linebacker.

So what’s ahead in 2026? St. Patrick’s freshman team won four games while the sophomores won five. Gardiner appears to have a bright future at quarterback but Zbikowski will have to find a new supporting cast with 35 seniors leaving the program.

“I had no expectations for this team,” the first-year head coach said. “There is no point in having expectations. It is not about wins and losses as long as they buy into your philosophy. My kids never quit. They kept fighting. It’s all about the process for me.”

Zbikowski will try to build a winning and successful program in the Chicago Catholic League, considered by many observers as one of the toughest leagues in the state.

Lane Falls Short in 45-10 8A Playoff Loss to Oswego

By Jack Lydon

It was a tail of two halves. In first half, the Lane Tech Champions (9-2) fought the Oswego Panthers to a 10-10 draw. But in the second half, Oswego (9-2) hit some passes and outscoring the Champions with five unanswered touchdowns for a 45-10 win in the IHSA 8A football playoffs. 

The second home playoff game in a row for the Champions started off as good as they might have hoped. They took the opening kickoff right down the field. Their pass attack that had sputtered much of the season took the Oswego defense a little by surprise. The Panthers expecting to see the usually productive Lane ground attack game up big pass plays.

About three and a half minutes into the game, Lane’s junior quarterback Blake Jenkins connected with junior wide receiver Taylor Clay in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown. The extra point rocketed through the uprights to give the Champions an early 7-0 lead.

The Oswego Panthers from the Southwest Prairie-West Conference wasted no time in answering the Champions opening scoring drive. Returning the ensuing kickoff to Lane 43-yard line.

“We are going to run the ball first,” said Oswego head coach Brian Cooney. “Physical, hard-nosed, downhill team is who we are.”

Despite a couple incomplete passes and a penalty, the Panthers continued to run and junior running back Ethan Pilip scored for Oswego from four yards out.  to draw even. The Panthers would add a 42-yard field goal by to make the score 10-7 Panthers at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter settled into a defensive battle of bend but don’t break but with under a minute to play, Lane junior linebacker Aiden Boywid picked off a late pass back across the field. Boywid broke tackles returning the to the Oswego 22-yard line. Five plays later with 1:09 left in the half, Lane junior placekicker nailed a 20-yard field goal to tie that score.

“We did not wake up for sure until halftime,” Cooney continued. And wake up they did. The Panthers took the second half kickoff and scored. Then on the next possession, Oswego scored again on a 35-yard touchdown pass making the 24-10 with three minutes left in the third quarter.

“We have been able to do that this year, connect on some long ones. If they move the safeties back, we continue to pound the ball,” Cooney said. The Panthers added three more touchdowns for a final score of 45-10.

“I was looking to win. I was looking to prove a lot of haters wrong. I was looking to show that this CPS school can hang with these suburban schools. We don’t care where they are from and what kind of program they have; we are building a program here that can rock with anybody,” said Lane junior linebacker Aiden Boywid said after the game.

“I am extremely happy with the way we played in the first half. I know that in City [championship] and in the coming years Lane Tech is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the entire state,” Boywid continued.

“They made plays,” said Lane Tech head coach Deshon Conley. “Those two deep shots that they got in the third quarter is what turned the game around. “I thought we could have made a run at this state tournament.”

Despite the stinging disappointed, Conley said, “[t]he future is bright. We are headed in the right direction. We are getting over humps that we haven’t been getting over in the past. We look to keep elevating.”

The Champions expect to face Morgan Park next week in the Prep Bowl tournament.

Oswego advances into the class 8A playoff quarterfinals against #5 ranked Maine South at Maine South.

Lane's Vernon Cole Carries Champions into Second Round of Playoffs

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY

Not even an eight-man defensive front could stop Lane running back Vernon Cole last Friday night on Halloween in the opening round of the Class 8A state high school football playoff. Cole, who has been recovering from an ankle injury, saw limited action but rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown, added a 36-yard punt return and briefly ran a Wildcat offense in a 34-6 victory over Perspectives.

“I would have to say honestly that he is our best football player,” said Deshon Conley, Lane’s first-year head coach. “And he is a better person off the field than he is a football player.”

Cole, who was a wrestler in elementary school, didn’t start playing football until he enrolled at Lane. As a senior, he has done it all to become one of the best players in the city, rushing for 855 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has completed two passes in the Wildcat offense. And he also plays defensive back.

“He can play college football one day,” Conley said. “Some coaches like to see him play on defense. Some coaches would like to see him play on offense.”

Cole, a 5-9, 165-pounder who won the Public League’s 165-pound wrestling championship as a junior, has his own game plan. “I want to play offense. My dream is to play for (coach) Deion Sanders at Colorado. My favorite running back is Jaymyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions (of the NFL).”

Lane (9-1), who have never won a state football title, recorded its first playoff victory in 21 years.The Champions will try to advance to the quarterfinals when they host Oswego (8-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lane Stadium.

At the same time, Lane hopes to change the Chicago Public League’s statewide image in football.Last weekend, Public League teams went 0-15 against non-city competition in the opening round of the state tournament. Phillips is the only Public League school to win a state title, 4A in 2015 and 5A in 2017. Robeson was 6A runner-up in 1982.

“We know it is going to be difficult to win a state championship because of the schools in Class 8A and the competition,” Conley said. “However, I am confident the coaching staff can come up with a game plan against any opponent. I look forward to the challenge.”

One thing opponents must prepare to defend against is Lane’s Wildcat formation. The offense made popular by former Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.

“It was my idea to use the Wildcat,” Cole said. “I told the coaches that the holes were there. It has been a big part of our playbook.”

On Friday night, Perspectives tried to contain Cole. The first half was a nightmare as Lane was shut out, then fell behind 6-0 when Perspectives’ Herman Yancy scored on a 51-yard pass interception return in the third quarter. But junior quarterback Blake Perkins, who recently earned a starting position because Conley wanted to improve Lane’s passing attack, stepped up in the second half with touchdown runs of 37 and 30 yards and a 20-yard scoring pass to Aidan Andrich.

“I told the kids at halftime that when you are ready to make plays and block, you will win the game,” Conley said.

“I think I just panicked in the first half. I just rushed myself,” Perkins said.

While Perkins and Cole are the keys to Lane’s offense, the defense has been even more effective, recording five shutouts while not allowing an offensive touchdown last Friday. Cole should know about Lane’s defense. He sees it every day in practice.

“I think this defense has to be one of the best in the city and state,” Cole said. “The record speaks for itself. I don’t think anybody can really score on us.”

Against Perspectives, the defense was led by 6-3, 280-pound senior linebacker Daniel Howard, who is committed to Iowa State, and 5-11, 260-pound junior end Kanye Williams. They will be tested this weekend by Oswego (8-2), which is averaging 30 points per game.

This has been a rewarding, turn-around season for Lane, which was 3-6 a year ago. The players have responded very positively to Conley’s coaching philosophy.

“He has a great football IQ,” Cole said about his coach. “He is a leader on and off the football field.”

So is Cole.

“Lane is one of the top three schools in the state,” he said. “It is great being a student-athlete at Lane. Balancing academics and athletics make you a better person. It is always school first for me.”

“I am very proud of him,” said Mike Smith, Lane’s head of security.

So how far can this team go in the state playoff. Old-timers argue Lane’s 1980 team that lost to Gordon Tech in the Class 6A semifinals might have been one of the best teams never to win a state championship.

What will be the legacy of the 2025 squad? Saturday’s game against Oswego should provide some answers.

St. Patrick Wins Playoff Opener 49-28 over Wauconda

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY 

 

When St Patrick quarterback Gavin Gardiner is on top of his game the Shamrocks are hard to beat. Gardiner who had 11 touchdown tosses in his junior season, added three touchdown passes to help his team overcome a wild first half in the Class 5A playoff opener at Wauconda (9-1). The Shamrocks eventually prevailed 49-28 after a wild day in Wauconda after leading 35-21 at halftime after game was tied at 14.

Gardiner might have played his best game completing 16 of 19 passes for 229 yards in the first 24 minutes and finished the contest with 25 completions for 274 yards.

"Gavin can be the best player in the state this year," Anthony Catron stated earlier this season.

"Anthony is an amazing player," Gardiner said on his talented teammate. "He runs so hard.

Anthony Catron, who was named section player of the year in CCL Purple, had another solid performance with 140 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

This dynamic duo for Shamrocks has now combined for 25 touchdowns this season. The Shamrocks went 2-7 last season as Catron broke his leg.

"Wauconda is a tough team," St Patrick first year head coach Tom Zbikowski said after the win. "They played hard. They didn't quit."

Gardiner is blessed with talented group of receivers. Seven different players caught passes. His favorite target this season has been Tim Schayer. Schayer, who has caught 52 passes this season, had 14 catches for 185 yards with two trips into the end zone.

St. Patrick put the unbeaten home team away in fourth quarter by scoring on a 17-yard run by Catron and interception return for touchdown by Kevin Michaelsen.

The Shamrocks amassed 465 yards while allowing 384 yards but forced four turnovers.

Tom Zbikowski was named Coach of the Year as eight players were chosen all section for helping lead the Shamrocks to the division championship while center Eli Valencia was named the best lineman.

St. Patrick will now turn its attention to Saturday night showdown at Triton College against three-time state football champion Cary Grove [8-2] who has one of the best running games averaging 37 points per game.

Lane Loses in Softball Semi-final

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY 

To say that Lane has dominated high school softball in the Chicago Public League would be an understatement. If Marshall was queen of girls basketball with 22 shields then Lane is king of boys 16 inch softball with 12 championships. The Champions dominated girls’ softball with 16 titles including 11 crowns this century.

The school now nicknamed Champions was denied another championship banner losing 10-0 Farragut in the semifinals of the city tournament at Hamlin Park.

"They were definitely the better team today," Lane head coach Mario Nunez said after the loss.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't execute today. It is going to be a nice rivalry for us in years to come."

It was evening of surprises on the softball diamond as Payton stunned top seeded Taft 10-5 while Farragut (15-3) used an unprecedented 14-run first inning to beat Payton in the title game 14-2 by slaughter rule. Payton beat Farragut last season in the semifinals. For the Admirals it was the school's first varsity CPS championship since winning soccer in 2006.

"Simple do what you did in the last game," Farragut head coach Cary Bolnick stated on his surprising Saturday in October at Hamlin Park.

Payton won softball title in 2024 beating Lane 7-6.

"It was mental lapses that hurt us," Taft head coach Tommy Angsten said who was former softball player at Lane. "The pressure got to them and we made mistakes."

CPS added boys’ softball as a varsity sport in 1999 with Schurz winning the first inaugural tournament. Former St Benedict grad Tom Horn who is now living in Las Vegas guided Lane to the first softball shield ever in 2000. Boys’ softball is played during fall along with football and volleyball while the girls play in the spring along with baseball.

The coaches in the Chicago Public League are hoping to talk with IHSA officials about making softball which is one of the most popular recreational sports in Chicago a sanctioned sport similar to girls’ flag football. 

For now, after final softball game of the season Farragut can say we are the champions after scoring 24 runs against two of the top four seeds as pitcher Robert Trejo won both games for the Admirals.

47th Ward Emergency Public Meeting

Wednesday morning, ICE followed a teacher into the Rayito del Sol school on Addison and forcibly abducted a school teacher in front of her students.

47th Ward Alderperson Matt Martin called an emergency public meeting in the Northcenter Townsquare, Damen and Belle Plaine, at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, to advise the community about the activities of ICE in the 47th Ward.

Numerous public official, parents and students at the Rayito del Sol attended and spoke, included Alderperson Martin, Congressman Mike Quigley, County Commissioner Bridget Degnen, State Representative Jaime Andrade, Alderperson Andre Vasquez and State Senator Mike Simmons.

Hundreds of neighbors filled the Townsquare for the community meeting.

DePaul Prep Comes Back to Defeat Glenbrook South

By Jack Lydon

What a comeback! The DePaul Prep Rams girls varsity volleyball team rallied from the verge of elimination late in the second set against Glenbrook South down 24-21, one point away from a season ending loss, to win the second set on five straight points and then dominate the Titans in the third set, 25-16.

Given the demeanor of this impressive group of Rams, one would not have known that they were one point away from the end of their season. Down 24-21, in the second set, after losing the first set, this experienced group ran off five straight points to force as third set.

Buoyed by the comeback and confident in their abilities, the third set went immediately their way starting with four point lead early and building thereafter. Fittingly, junior standout and North Carolina commit Kalia Kroth ended the match with a kill to give the Rams the comeback victory against the number 2 seed Glenbrook South Titans.

The Rams have only suffered five losses this season; one of the coming to Glenbrook South on October 18th.

The Rams advance to the IHSA 4A Glenbrook South Sectional Final on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., against New Trier. The Rams fell to New Trier in two sets in the third game of the day on October 17th.

“Competitive,” said DePaul Prep head coach Caroline Gajzler when asked what to expect from New Trier.

“The coaches and I will look at the film on New Trier and come up with a game plan like any other match.”

Lane Tech Rallies to Defeat Perspectives-Leadership 34-6

[Preview of my story in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

The Lane Tech Champions (9-1) eventually woke up and put up thirty-four points in the second half of Halloween night’s IHSA 8A playoff opener to be beat Perspective-Leadership (5-5) 34-6.

It may have been looking past Perspectives or being tired after a long season or something else but it took the Lane Tech Champions a half of football to dial up enough intensity to beat the Perspectives Leadership Warriors Friday evening and win their first state playoff game in twenty-one years.

It was a scoreless tie going into the half. The Champions not only looked flat, utterly unmotivated, they were also playing poorly; dropping passes, missing tackles and committing penalties.  

“I told them whenever you are ready to go make plays, we will win the game. That’s pretty much all I said. Whenever we are ready to make some players will be find a way to win this game,” Lane first year head coach Deshon Conley.

Lane’s junior quarterback Blake Jenkins struggled in the first half.

“I think I just tried to relax myself. First drive do this, second drive do this, get a big first half and I think I just panicked. I rushed myself,” Jenkins admitted after the game.

“Going into half, I kind of all right relaxed, [I told myself,] get your throws down, get your reads down, came back out here, and I relaxed myself. I was much more calm in the pocket. I made throws, made the runs that we needed to do and we got the win,” said Roscoe Village native Jenkins.

Despite the lopsided final score things look bad for the Champions when on the third play of the second half, Jenkins through a pass that was picked off by Perspectives’ safety Herman “Yanc” Yancy and returned 51 yards for Warriors touchdown.

After Lane running back Vernon Cole put the Champions tied the game early in the third quarter, it was Jenkins’ running that proved the difference. Jenkins put together back-to-back touchdown runs of 37 and 30 yards.

“No, I haven't I've never done something like that. I'm not the fastest of guys. I've never been the runner. So it was definitely different for me. So everyone is pretty hyped when I scored that [second one]. But yeah, it was definitely fun,” Jenkins continued.

“I told Blake at halftime, I said you’ve got a couple [chances] to make this day right. He came out and through pick six which we didn't want. But after that, I think he played pretty flawless football,” said Conley.

Jenkins’ touchdown runs come off the same play. He faked a toss to the right to the tail back, then kept the ball and ran to the left.

“It was a halftime adjustment. Shout out to my guys. that eyes and press box. They saw that whenever we did, they go toss that all their players crashed to the sideline. So we knew that we'd probably get it with the fake toss,” Conley said.

In recent years to Champions have fallen victim to powerhouse suburban teams. The last time the Champions, at the point they were still the Indians, won a playoff game was 2004 with a 39-20 win over York. This year, with an impressive 8-1 record, the Champions landed the number 27 seed Perspectives Warriors with a 5-4 record in the Chicago Public Leagues Metro South Division.

The Champions move onto host a second-round game against Oswego next Saturday at Lane Stadium. The game time has yet to be determined.

Shamrocks Advance to Playoffs with Win over St. Viator

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY 

Mission accomplished.

The varsity football team had two major goals this season under first-year head coach and former NFL player Tom Zbikowski. St Pat's (5-4) was hoping to win the Catholic League Purple section title and advance to the state football playoff for the first time in four years.

“I believe in him one hundred percent,” Principal John Harrington said about Zbikowski. “I don't have a timeline for a turnaround. He has done a great job of turning around the program.”

The Shamrocks are celebrating both accomplishments after beating St. Viator (1-8) 44-21 last Friday night at Triton College.

 Anthony Catron playing in his final regular season home game with 34 other senior football players rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown while junior Gavin Gardiner rebounded from back-to-back subpar performances by completing 12 of 23 passes for 124 yards and one touchdown. The dynamic duo on offense has combined for  2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.

“It means a lot to the boys to win the division and advance to state playoffs,” Zbikowski said after the win. “I appreciate their effort. They have worked hard. I love all of my players.”

Postseason play in Class 5A begins next weekend against unbeaten Wauconda (9-0) on the road.

Prairie View (9-0) who has won state football championship on three occasions is the top seeded squad in Class 5A while Montini (9-0) was in placed as top team in Class 4A. 

Mt Carmel (9-0) considered by many people to be the best football program in our state is the top seed in Class 8A after beating Loyola (4-4) 35-24. The Caravan who has won state record 16 titles starts next weekend in the opening round with rematch against the Ramblers.

St Pat's handed struggling St.Viator it’s eighth straight loss under former Chicago Bear kicker Ribbie Gould by building a 34-7 lead at halftime.

Catron ran for 143 yards in the first half while Gardiner contributed with a touchdown toss and quarterback sneak into end zone.

Shamrocks closed the second quarter with an impressive 93-yard drive as Gardiner threw a 16-yard scoring pass to Tim Schayer.

The Lions didn't quit closing the gap to 37-21 before St Patrick put the game away with a six minute drive that ended with a one yard run by Jayden Miranda.

This game was rather chippy and ohysical matchup with 21 penalties called on both teams.

Zbikowski's focus is now on Wauconda.

In the off-season, the Shamrocks will need to replace 35 seniors. The freshman team went 4-5 while Shamrock sophomores won five football games.

The state football finals with eight championship games is Thanksgiving Weekend at Illinois State.

Lane Earns Berth in State Football Playoffs

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY

Lane, you are the champions.

Lane is one of few high schools that can actually say “We Are The Champions,” in reference to the now famous 1977 song by the rock group Queen that is often played after a sports team wins a championship. Lane’s nickname was “School of Champions” with good reason as the North Side school at Western and Addison has won over 500 city championships and 16 state titles since its founding in 1908.

In the Chicago Public League, Lane has been dominant in football, baseball and swimming. Today, it is a contender in a variety of varsity sports.

For many years, the school was known as the Indians. The statue of a symbolic Indian has stood in the school’s courtyard since 1947.

“We are a true College Prep School,” athletic director Brent Bradish told me recently. “Being the athletic director at Lane is an opportunity to work at a great school.”

Unfortunately, despite its distinguished academic and athletic reputation, which reminds many people of Northwestern in the Big Ten, there were some critics, especially Native American groups and former students, who were upset with the school’s nickname and mascot. There also were some students and alumni who weren’t offended and thought the issue was overblown. It all came to a head in 2020 and 2021 with a series of protests.

As in the cases of the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Redskins, the Lane administration bowed to public pressure and voted to change the school’s nickname to Champions. Other nominees were Owl, Bison and Lightning. But Champions at the School of Champions prevailed.

In 2021, current principal Edwina Thompson summarized the issue with this public statement: “Our stakeholders have decided to stand with our name Lane Tech but continue our tradition on being School of Champions by selecting Champions as our symbol of honor.”

“We didn’t just change the nickname,” said Bradish, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs and attended Rolling Meadows High School. “It was a rebranding. The response to the new nickname has been positive.”

First-year football coach Deshon Conley agrees. “The nickname Indians was the nickname (five years ago) and I didn’t get involved with the controversy. I am just the football coach. The new nickname is appropriate. We have been called the School of Champions for years,” he said.

The first great student-athlete at Lane was three-sport star Fritz Pollard, who now is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was the first black head coach in the NFL. Lane Stadium, one of the jewels of the Chicago Public League, has been renamed Pollard Field. Other standouts who attended Lane were Olympic gold-medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, the first Tarzan of the movies, former Chicago Cubs star and manager Phil Cavarretta and lineman Laken Tomlinson of the Houston Texans of the NFL.

During the 2024-25 school year, Lane thrived by winning 12 Public League varsity championships while advancing to the state finals in four sports. In Class 4A, Lane finished in the top four in boys soccer, boys swimming, boys volleyball and girls soccer. Both soccer teams lost in the state championship game.

One of the many jobs of an athletic director is to hire and fire coaches. Bradish may have scored a touchdown by promoting Conley, who was Lane’s defensive coordinator for the last four years. Conley responded by guiding Lane to the state playoff for the 29th time, more than any other Public League school. The Champions (6-1) punched a ticket for this year’s Class 8A playoff by beating Phillips 13-0 last Friday at Gately Stadium. Quite a comeback from last year’s 3-6 finish.

“I didn’t come into this season with any expectations,” Conley said. “Last year, we came in with great expectations and finished 3-6. And we had some great football players.”

This year’s squad features some great players. The offense is led by running back and two-way standout Vernon Cole, who has scored 10 touchdowns and has emerged as one of the leading players in the Public League. The defense, which has allowed only 38 points while posting four shutouts, is led by 5-11, 260-pound junior tackle Kanye Williams, junior linebacker Aiden Boywid, senior end Greg Howard and junior safety Clay Taylor.

“We have had some great turnouts at home games,” Bradish said. “It was great to start 4-0. We had a wide list of candidates (for the head coaching job). Deshon has been here as an assistant coach for four years .He has a great relationship with the kids.”

Lane, whose only setback was a 16-13 decision to Payton(6-1) will close its regular season with back-to-back home games against Westinghouse and King. Pairings for the state playoff will be announced on Saturday night October 25.

“We have won the most championships in football (in Public League history) and we have won the most championships in baseball,” Conley said. “Hopefully I can win a (Public League) championship .”

Like Champions from the past at Lane and add another championship banner.

Lane Tech defensive line. (Photo credit: Jack Lydon.)

DePaul Prep Defeats Benet 35-6

[Preview of this week’s article in the Inside—Booster]

By Jack Lydon

The DePaul Prep Rams defeated Benet Academy 35-6 Friday evening at DePaul Prep. The Rams (3-6, 2-1) finished their post-state championship season on a high note with the convincing win over CCL/ESCC Purple opponent and budding rival, Benet Academy from Lisle, Illinois.

The lopsided final score obscures what was a defensive struggle for almost all of the first half. The Rams broke the scoreless tie with only 1:16 left in the first half.

“We talked on the sideline. We had been hitting a lot of bubble [screen passes] . . .. So we ran a fake bubble and hit [senior wide receiver] Connor [Barefield] a seam route,” said Rams junior quarterback Jackson Grabinski.

“Jackson did a great job. If he didn't put that sip on the pass, Connor was gonna get lit up. But he put the ball right on the money,” DePaul Prep head coach Mike Passarella said of Grabinski’s touchdown pass to Barefield.

The Rams added a two-point conversion on a pass to junior defensive end Hunter Wahtola to make the score 8-0 at the half. The Rams were two for two on two-point conversions on the season.

That was as close as Benet would get. It was all Rams in the second half.

“We were able to just kind of muscle them up front. So we controlled the run game quite a bit,” said Passarella. The Rams would add four touchdowns giving up a score late in the fourth after the second teams for both teams had come in.

The Rams final two touchdowns of the season were poignant. Two close friends seniors Matt Osterman and Luke Flom each scored. Osterman, a gifted wide receiver who will play college football, got as wide open as this reporter has ever seen on a deep post route. The ball took what seems like a hour to come down in stride to Osterman who gathered it in and continued to the endzone for touchdown late in the third quarter.

“It was hard work and dedication in the off season, crisping up routes and a good quarterback to throw the ball,” said Osterman, downplaying a great route, catch and run for a score—a highlight to put an end to his high school career.

The touchdown by Luke Flom was also a career highlight. Coming not long after Osterman’s masterpiece, senior linebacker/safety and all-around defensive contributor, Luke Flom went into the game on offense as halfback.

“I played running back freshman and sophomore years. I told coach, ‘come on, let me get in there.’ He let me do it. I scored on the first play, so it was fun,” Flom said.

Even so, Flom was emotional after the game.

“I have always loved it here. These boys are all my boys and I'm gonna miss this,” Flom said.

“It was rough start to the season. The first couple plays in the first game, I dislocated my finger. I was out two weeks. I came back and got a concussion. Really bumpy season, but I think we ended on a good note,” Flom said with a hint of satisfaction.

Despite the 3-6 record and missing the playoffs, Passarella was upbeat about the Rams future.

 “There's a very, very bright future. We’ve been comfortable bringing up sophomores to play on varsity. So we're excited for that. We're going to have some additional depth next year,” Passarella said.

Another fun fact about next season is that DePaul Prep will play immediate neighbor Lane Tech in football in the second week for at least the next two years, reprising the neighborhood rivalry from the old days of the Gordon Tech v. Lane Tech games dating back decades. Should be fun.

Kenwood Handles Payton 39-7 for Lead in CPL Metro

[A preview of my article this week in the Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

It was a long penalty filled game but Kenwood’s defense, particularly, it defensive line simply took about what the Playton Grizzlies wanted to do. Payton’s athletics on offense were able to wear down the Grizzlies defense, move the ball and score. The Broncos defeated Payton 39-7 Saturday afternoon at Lane.

Did I write “penalty filled?” It seemed there were times in the second quarter that there was a penalty on every play.

“You would have to ask the referee about that,” said Kenwood head coach Chris Goffer when asked about the large number of penalties.

Despite the repeated Broncos penalties, the game turned early in the second quarter. With the Broncos up 14-0, Kenwood senior defensive end Kameron Love, rushed the Payton quarterback Thomas Fritchett.

“He left un unblocked. You can’t leave me unblocked. I'm gonna go,” said Love said. Payton should have blocked him.

“I just wanted to get the ball back for the team. I thought I have to a make big hit so I can get the ball,” Love continued. Love hit Fritchett knocking the back toward the line.  

“We thought it was a screen so we all dropped back. Kam [Love] came all free and got there in time to make the play. He got there fast,” said Kenwood senior defensive tackle Ajani Brown.

Kenwood defensive tackle Dameon Norman picked up the ball and rumbling, stumbling and bumbling got down to the Payton 3-yardline just shy of a big score.

Kenwood quarterback Kenyonte Louis finished with a 3-yard keeper to make the score 20-0 with almost the whole second quarter to play.

Kenwood’s defense dominated the rest of the second quarter. The defensive line simply took Payton out of what they wanted to do.

“We were watching a lot of film. They like to do a lot of trick plays. We knew they want to run a lot of counters.  We were reading the pulls really well and we were getting a lot of stops on the interior,” said Brown.

“Amazing. I love my d-line. You win championship for defense, especially up front. The second quarter is our power quarter. We like to turn it up a little bit, turn it up a notch. Once we got a good read what's going on or visibly and defensely. You like to turn it up again in the second quarter,” said Kenwood coach Chris Goffer.

The Grizzlies rallied a little late in the third quarter. With the help of more Kenwood penalties, the Grizzlies moved the ball down the field mixing in passes on the sidelines and runs up the middle. Payton senior running back Sam Merrill scored from two yards out to make the score 27-7. Plenty of heart by the Grizzles but too little, too late.

Kenwood has two games remaining to settle the Public League Metro. Morgan Park (5-2, 5-0) next Saturday and Phillips (2-5, 1-4) the following Saturday. 

Head coach Goffer was understandable cautious in speaking about the upcoming games and the playoffs but did talk about the status of his team.

“I don't like to say just the Public League. I think we're the class in 7A. I preach to my boys; we want to win city first obviously and be the best team in the city. Next week will have that chance against Morgan Parks to kind of prove that. Then we move on to the playoffs, but we want to be considered more than just a Public League team. We want to be a power in the state.”

Despite the loss, Payton has an excellent record and will enter the 5A playoffs with a high seed given what could be a 7-2 record.

LOLLINO BUILDS INFERNO IN ABA

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT by John Montgomery

 

Frank Lollino Jr. is a survivor on and off the basketball court.

The 54-year-old Chicagoan has faced many challenges in his life as a basketball coach. After losing three coaching jobs and overcoming two major surgeries, he is trying to win in the game of life.

“He was born to coach basketball,” said former Fenwick coach John Quinn.

“Little (Frank) Lollino can coach,” the late and legendary King coach Landon Cox said many years ago.

Frank Jr. has experienced many ups and downs in his career. However, his greatest challenge was having his right leg amputated and undergoing a kidney transplant.

“I was very concerned,” he admitted. “I knew my life would change dramatically. I knew every day would be different. I had my pity party.”   The long winding road for the son of former Westinghouse basketball coach Frank Lollino Sr. has led to his current position as head coach and general manager of the Windy City Inferno in the new American Basketball Association (ABA). He hopes to build the Inferno into a winner after being fired as head coach of the Chicago Rebels in 2023.

“I have done some things in the past,” Lollino said. “Nobody has a perfect record and the Lord has found a way for me to be back in this game. I am exactly where I need to be at this point in my life. I love my team. I love my players.”

In the past, Lollino recorded an exhausting record of coaching experience. He coached at the high school level at Lane and Austin. He also coached at Triton College and Morton College.

He understands the world of coaching, what it takes to produce a winner. He learned from his father, who won 331 games and two Chicago Public League championships during a 19-year career at Westinghouse. Most significantly, Lollino Sr. helped to prepare Mark Aguirre to go on to stardom at DePaul and the NBA.

“My father obviously is my favorite coach,” Frank Jr. said during an interview before a recent practice session. “He is a Hall of Fame coach. He took kids nobody wanted. He was an amazing motivator. He had the amazing ability to talk with people.”

So Frank Jr. is playing catchup. In his 19-year career, he won 238 games in high school and college and 63 in the ABA. The latest challenge for the Fenwick graduate is with the Inferno, which launched in 2024 and currently is owned by Frank Jr.’s sister Laurie Taylor and niece Anne Marie Taylor.

“Frank is the head coach and he takes advice from me and listens to me,” said Quinn, who serves as assistant coach. “He is a very passionate individual.”

Old-time basketball fans may remember the ABA as it once was, from 1967 to 1976, with Julius Erving and Artis Gilmore. The new ABA was founded in 1999. In partnership with the NBA, it is the world’s largest pro sports league with 150 teams

“The competition is good,” said Rodney Gaston Jr., the Inferno’s top player. “There are good teams and there are weak teams.”

Gaston, a Prosser graduate, played at Morton College. Last season, he was named MVP after scoring 52 points in the ABA’s All-Star game.

In its inaugural season, the Inferno lost in the league championship game. Season No. 2 starts on Sunday, October 19 against the Wisconsin Frost at Breakthrough Complex at 3219 West Carroll Street on Chicago’s West Side. Another Chicago team, the Fury, is seeking its third ABA title in a row.

“I think there is a lot of great regional action,” Lollino said. “There are a lot of great players. And there are a lot of good coaches. It’s a good league. I’m proud to be in this league.”

Lollino received some good news last week. The Inferno has been invited to play a series of exhibition games in China after the 2025-26 season.

Meanwhile, Lollino is determined to make the best of a challenging opportunity. The ABA is similar to semi-pro football. Players and coaches don’t receive salaries so they work regular jobs during the week to pay for practice sessions and cover travel expenses. Lollino, who revamped his entire roster, cutting 12 players from last season’s squad, keeps busy by working on game plans, trying to find players and driving a Uber vehicle.

All for the love of the game. His father would be proud.

Frank Lolino, Jr., Courtesy of Chicago Inferno website.

Brother Rice Stops St. Patrick

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY 

 

St. Patrick first year head coach Tom Zbikowski was expecting a difficult game on the road against unbeaten Brother Rice (5-0). The Crusaders, who upset Loyola the week before, delivered a dominating performance on the both sides of the football in beating the Shamrocks 56-14.

Brother Rice has good football history winning a state championship in 1981 and five Prep Bowl wins, but the Crusaders were coming off a 6-4 season in 2024.

"I wasn't worried about a letdown after beating Loyola," Brother Rice head coach Casey Quedenfeld said after the win. "We were locked in and focused at practice this week."

Indeed. The Crusaders scored on its first six possessions to build a 42-0 advantage. Brother Rice quarterback Senior CJ Gray threw four touchdown passes in first half and torched the Shamrocks for 308 yards.

The long night on South Side began with St. Patrick falling behind 21-0 to start the game amassing only 25 yards while running only nine plays from scrimmage. The Shamrocks finally got moving late in the second quarter with a 70-yard drive which ended with QB Gavin Gardiner throwing his sixth touchdown toss to Tim Schayer with 1:06 left. Both teams had an interception in the first half.

It was unfortunately a short night for St Pat's star running back Anthony Catron. Catron was knocked out if game in first half and had minus 1 yard on four carries after the game of his life against DePaul Prep with 241 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Shamrocks struggled to move football consistently going 3 for 13 on third downs.

Gray, who will attend Army next year, has thrown for 12 touchdown passes this season. Brother Rice received another solid performance from defensive linemen King Liggins, Mike Fitzgerald, and Brayden Parks. The Crusaders have been stingy on defense allowing only 63 points in five games.

St Patrick quarterback Gavin Gardiner completed 23 of 38 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns in the loss against a defense that was focused on stopping Catron and Jayden Miranda. Shamrocks finished with only 15 yards rushing on 19 carries.

Jaylin Green scored his second touchdown on a 51-yard run to begin the second half which meant the contest would be running clock for remainder of the night.

Brother Rice has to be considered one of the favorites for 8A championship. The Crusaders upset Loyola (3-1) and they will face Mount Carmel (5-0). Other contenders in class 8A include Maine South [4-1), Fremd (5-0), Lincoln Way East (5-0), and Lane[4-1) who has stunned two suburban schools. 

"We are only thinking about going 1-0 next week," Quedenfeld admitted after the game.  

Shamrocks will try to rebound against Benet [3-2].

"It's a great school," said Zbikowski who is enjoying his first season with the Shamrocks despite the setback last Friday night. "It's a special place. The kids are great and they have done everything I have asked them to do."

DePaul Prep Dominates Saint Viator 36-7

By Jack Lydon

[Preview of this week’s piece in Inside—Booster]

“Every time we try to get cute defensively and try to do more, the kids make mistakes,” said DePaul Prep head coach Mike Passarella.

“So we said we want to go back to the basics and play fundamental football.”

Fundamental football is what we saw at DePaul Prep Stadium Friday night where the DePaul Prep Rams handled the Saint Viator Lions 36-7 in a Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference Purple Division matchup.

There was not a whole lot of offense in the first quarter. Both teams were trying to find their legs. It was the Rams that found them first and dominated on defense. With the score 8-0 Rams after Rams’ senior running back Tyson Hicks scored on 42-yard run midway through the second quarter, with five minutes left in the half and ball at midfield, the Lions had a fourth and two. The frustrated Lions went for it. 

“I called the stunt. We knew that we could get some movement. After a couple of series that they were sliding to [Junior defensive end Hunter Wahtola] because he's kind of our big disruptive player that creates penetration,” Passarella said.

“My nose guard took up that block, I slanted right in that A gap. Once I met the quarterback face to face, I knew I was going to get that sack,” Wahtola said.

Wahtola was in the backfield so fast, it looked like the play was designed to give him the ball. Wahtola dropped Lions’ senior quarterback Joey Lampignano so quickly it took a moment to realize the play was over.

After that, it was all Rams. Responding to the stop, the Rams came up with a little trickeration.

Junior quarterback Jackson Grabinski through a long lateral pass to senior wide receiver Blake Yucan, who also happens to be the backup quarterback, who then launched a deep ball to a wide open senior wide receiver Matthew Osterman who trotted into the endzone for a 53-yard touchdown reception making the score 15-0 at the half.

The second half was Rams sophomore running back Tyson Hooks turn to shine. He had a 49-yard touchdown catch and run in the third quarter littering the field with failed Lion tacklers reminiscent of Walter Payton run. And then Hicks added a third touchdown with 3:17 left. This time for 58-yards to put the game away. Hicks with touchdowns of 58, 49 and 42 yards. 

“I think we’ve got the best of offensive line in the state. I say that a lot. They make my life easy,” said Hicks.

“I ran thirty yards before I was touched. My receivers are running down field blocking safeties forty hours down the field.”

For some icing on the cake, senior safety Luke Flom, who plays more like a linebacker, split out into the flat deep in coverage deep in the Saint Viator end of the field. Lampignano looked to his left and passed the ball. It what seemed like a lifetime, the ball sailed right to Flom with no Lion receiver even in view.

“I was ready for it. I knew the ball is coming to me. They were throwing at me all night. I don't know why but I was ready for it and it took it to the house,” Flom said.

Flom, who has missed a few games with injury this season, grabbed it like he was the intended receiver and raced it into the end zone to give the Rams a 35-0 lead late in the third quarter.

“My first game back of a lot of injuries. I knew it was coming. I got a few pass deflections, but I was ready for it and took it to the crib,” Flom added.

The Rams move to 2-4 on the season. The Lions drop to 1-5. It’s been a rough opening campaign for first year Saint Viator head coach and former Chicago Bears place kicker Robbie Gould. Gould came over to Saint Viator from Rolling Meadows high school where he coached last year.

Gould spent eleven seasons as the Bears’ kicker from 2005-2015. After being unceremoniously and stupidly dumped by the Bears, he played nine more seasons in the NFL principally with the San Franciso 49ers. Gould is the nineth most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history.

DePaul Prep defeats Nazareth in Three Sets

I was back over to the Tom Winiecki Gym for the first time in a while for more volleyball. The DePaul Prep Rams girls volleyball team defeated the Nazareth Roadrunners in three sets with some very entertaining high level volleyball.

It was Teacher Appreciation Night.

Logan Lennon with 5 Touchdowns Against Lakes

I saw that Antioch was playing at Lakes on Friday. I have wanted to get to an Antioch game to see and photograph my cousin, Logan Lennon. Kristen Lennon, Logan’s mother, is Maryann Chambers’ daughter. Maryann is my first cousin.

Logan is the great great grandson of John J. Lydon, who emigrated from Barna, Galway, Ireland in 1912. John served in the US Army in World War I and later became a Chicago policeman.

John married Delia Geraghty from Moycullen, Galway, Ireland and in 1922, they bought the house at 4039 North Oakley Avenue, Chicago. I drove past it yesterday, 103 years later.

Logan is a delightful and engaging young man and a remarkable athletic. Oh, and he scored five touchdowns on Friday night’s game against Lakes on 10 carries. Every other carry was a touchdown. 5 touchdowns, 10 carries, 230 yards. TDs runs were 66, 63, 47, 40 and 13 yards.

I can say with some confidence that no decedent of John Lydon has scored five touchdowns in a high school football game.

And he is a sophomore. I can’t wait to see what achieves.

My friend and former DePaul Prep coach Sean Connor is the head basketball coach at Antioch. He told me that Logan will be his point guard this year. I can’t wait to see what Logan does on the hardwood too.

Go Sequoits!

Payton Tops Lane 16-13 for Dominance on Northside

[Preview of my article in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

Walter Payton College Prep may be the best high school on the northside of Chicago and it might also have the best football team as well. Record wise at least, one can’t argue with that. It doesn’t get better than 5-0 on the season. The Grizzlies defeated the Lane Tech Champions 16-13 Saturday afternoon at Lane Stadium.

Pretty much everyone knows takeaways and defense produces wins. That’s what the Grizzlies did on Saturday. It might been a little coaching too.

“We knew they struggle passing the ball, so we concentrated on stopping the run,” said Payton defensive coordinator Frank Dickerson.

The Grizzlies did not completely stop the Lane’s running attack. Senior tailback/quarterback/wildcat Vernon Cole still scored two touchdowns, a four-yard keeper early in the second quarter and a 53-yard keeper up the middle late in the fourth quarter. But Payton pretty much stopped everything else.

“I saw his eyes the whole way. He was staring there. We have been watching film. The only thing he has been throwing is inside slants and inside posts. I sat back, saw the ball and it was right there,” said Payton senior safety and running back Sam Merrill.

Merrill picked out the slant pass in the middle of the field and returned to ball to Lane’s 22 yard-line. That set up a one-yard touchdown by Payton quarter back Thomas Fritchett at the 7:52 mark in the third which gave the Grizzlies a 16-7 lead.

The Grizzlies defense continued to styme the Champions throughout the remainder of the third including another interception in Lane territory this time by senior cornerback John Seward. That takeaway did not lead to points but the ensusing long Payton possession took time off the clock.

Lane rallied with Cole’s 53-yard touchdown late in the fourth to make the score 16-13. And the Champions had a chance to tie with a field goal attempt with 30 seconds to play but the kick sailed left of the uprights.

Payton’s first year coach Calvin Clark was fired up after the game.

“It means a lot. At the end of the day, we prepared for this moment. We talk about mental toughness. We’ve got mental toughness. We expect to win,” said Payton head coach Calvin Clark. This is Clark’s first year at Payton. He previously was the head coach at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park.

Lane also has a first-year head coach. Lane’s Deshon Conley was disappointed with the turnovers by his Champions.

“The scoop and score fumble was probably the deciding score of the game,” Conley said. In the first quarter, Lane quarterback Robert Suteu directed a swing pass to his right. The receiver appeared to drop the pass but it was ruled a reception and fumble by the referee standing right next to the play in the backfield.

Payton quarterback Thomas Fritchett, who also plays defensive end, scooped up the fumble, ran it in 2o yards to give the Grizzlies a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“Payton came prepared. We were a little lax today. It went against us,” Conley added.

This game went a long way to deciding the leading teams on the Northside. Both Lane and Payton came into the game at 4-0. Taft is 1-4. Lincoln Park is 3-2 but with losses to Whitney Young and Lane. Amundsen is struggling at 2-3. Payton can rightfully claim northside ascendency.

It gets no easier for the Grizzlies with Kenwood, King and Westinghouse to finishe the season. But for now, this week, Payton College Prep may be, just possibly, the best high school football team, Public League anyway, on the northside.